Before I get rolling here, let me say that I am not anti-pacifier. I mean, what mother could be? We’ve all been saved from a major baby meltdown by the quick introduction of a dummy into a baby’s mouth at the right moment. Maybe they missed their sleep window by a little bit and were getting a bit cranky; perhaps they got an unexpected bump on the head, or you had to swoop in and take the dog treat out of their mouth. Just before they go into a tantrum, in goes the pacifier, and like magic, all is well. Pacifiers have benefits beyond preventing tantrums, as well. The AAP found that pacifiers can reduce the risk of SIDS, possibly due to the fact that baby has a more challenging time burying their face into soft bedding if they have a pacifier sticking out of their mouth. So, given that very substantial and necessary consideration, I’m making the following recommendations based on the supposition that your baby is over a year old. That doesn’t mean this is irrelevant if your little one’s younger than that, but just make sure you’ve carefully considered the pros and cons of taking away the pacifier before you make a decision. So here’s the conundrum from a sleep expert’s point of view: pacifiers can become a problem when it comes to sleep. If a baby’s accustomed to falling asleep with a pacifier in, it almost always wakes up in the night after it’s fallen out. It kicks up a fuss until mom gets up, finds it, and pops it back in its mouth. So, first off, let’s look at why babies can’t just fall asleep with a pacifier in and then peacefully sleep through the night. Then, we can look at some strategies for getting rid of the pacifier if you and your baby are ready to take the plunge. Sleep, for babies and adults alike, comes in cycles. Many of us are under the assumption that we fall asleep at the start of the night, go into a deeper sleep as the night goes on, and then gradually come out of it as the morning rolls around. It’s true that we go from light sleep to deep sleep and then back again, but it happens several times a night, depending on how long you sleep. For adults, a full cycle typically takes between 90 and 120 minutes. For a baby, it’s closer to 50. Suppose your baby won’t sleep at bedtime without a pacifier in their mouth. In that case, there’s a distinct possibility that they rely on that pacifier to sleep. When they get to the end of a sleep cycle, they get into that very light stage of sleep and might actually wake up, at which point they’re still tired, but they might have trouble getting back to sleep because “Hey! Where’s the pacifier? I can’t get to sleep without my pacifier!” Suppose they can’t find it or haven’t figured out how to put it in on their own yet. In that case, they’re going to get upset because they can’t get back to sleep, and they’re going to start crying for someone to come and rectify the situation. And that, right there, is the definition of what we in the sleep consulting field call a “sleep prop.” Sometimes, it’s feeding, sometimes it’s rocking, and sometimes it’s some crazy combination of a bunch of things, but essentially, it’s something that babies depend on to get to sleep that they can’t provide on their own when they wake up in the night. More than anything, that’s the secret to sleeping through the night. Getting rid of sleep props is, hands down, the most critical component to getting your little one sleeping peacefully from the time you put them to bed until they wake up, happy and refreshed, in the morning. So, if you’re reading this and thinking, “That’s IT! That’s exactly what’s happening with my baby!” you’ll probably want to take steps to get rid of that pacifier. I have a few tips to get you through the process quickly and peacefully. When it comes to breaking bad habits, I’m a cold turkey advocate, and this situation is no different. Toddlers do better with absolutes than with moderation, so my advice to parents is almost always to pick a day to make the change, explain it to your little one, and then toss all the pacifiers into the trash. Toddlers can often adjust to new situations remarkably easily so long as things are clear and consistent. So don’t save one for emergencies or just-in-case scenarios. It will be too easy for you to fall back on the pacifier to get a quick solution if your baby is having trouble sleeping. Then you’ll just be causing confusion. Alright, you’ve made the decision, explained the situation to your toddler, and signed a mental contract with yourself that you’re not going to do it by half measures. You’re ready to go all in. What’s next? Now’s the time to flex those creative muscles and devise a plan. How are you going to spin this change in a positive way? Toddlers typically embrace the idea of growing into “big kids,” so marking it as a milestone can be a big help. Make sure to present the change as a very exciting and joyous occasion. This is a bit of a dirty parenting trick. Still, you could round this off by introducing a “Pacifier Fairy,’ by telling your toddler that the Pacifier Fairy is coming to collect all of their dummies and, in exchange, will leave them a special surprise. Whether that’s something your little one will embrace, I leave it up to your discretion. One quick side note here: I’ve seen a lot of situations where parents with a toddler and a newborn or younger sibling in the house will give the older baby’s pacifiers to the younger one. On its face, this seems like a good idea, but it can breed some resentment from your toddler when they see their younger sibling sucking on their pacifier. If you can, get rid of your toddler’s pacifiers and get different ones for the younger child. So, you’ve laid the groundwork, your little one has grasped what’s going on, and the house is now pacifier-free. Now, you’ll want to brace yourself because, in about 99% of all cases, your toddler will go a little bit bananas while they adjust to the new reality. It’s nothing to be concerned about; we all get a little irritable when we break a habit, but I want you to know that it’s rarely a seamless transition. There’s going to be some pushback. When that pushback hits, and your toddler starts to lose it a little, my advice is to distract, distract, distract. Keep some of their favourite treats on standby, have the iPad cartoons ready, and quickly turn their attention to something else when they start to fuss about the lack of a pacifier. You can acknowledge their frustration and offer them as much comfort and support as needed but don’t apologize or give in. Remember that you’re the authority figure here. If you’ve decided that the pacifier is a thing of the past, that’s the way it is. Giving them a pacifier at this stage is only going to reinforce the idea that crying or fussing is an effective tool for getting their way. Every toddler is obviously a unique individual, so use these guidelines in conjunction with your intuition. Within a few nights, maybe a week, your little one should be Binky-free, and your whole family should enjoy the benefits of those glorious, sleep-filled nights. AuthorErin Neri - Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Owner of To The Moon and Back Sleep Consulting since 2016. If you’re reading this, you likely have a little one who’s been falling asleep in an awkward position. You may have heard that it can be an issue and are looking to learn how to deal with it ahead of time. You may also be oddly interested in the most random blog post topics you can find online. Either way, I will do my best to ensure you walk away from this post feeling like you got some serious value out of it. So your baby has learned to stand up! Congratulations on this wonderful milestone! It’s such an exciting time to be a parent, and this is such a massive step into the world of development that’s coming your way very soon. Many babies have issues when they first learn to stand up; they haven’t learned to get back down yet. During the day, this doesn’t present much of an issue. Your little one can spend all day practicing going from standing to seated while you’re next to them and helping them through it. But once nighttime rolls around, this becomes a whole other issue. I know the Catch-22 this puts parents in, believe me. On the one hand, you can’t just leave your baby in a situation where they might fall down and hurt themselves, but on the other, if you keep going in and laying them down, they don’t learn how to do it themselves. Moreover, they’ll quickly learn that standing up and making a fuss is a pretty effective way to get mom or dad back into their room and pay attention to them. So there’s a fine line that we need to walk to help baby figure out how to solve this little situation they find themselves in without creating a bad habit that could sabotage their sleep. If your baby hasn’t started this behaviour yet, let me warn you: It’s frustrating—more so than the average middle-of-the-night wake-up—because the solution is so totally obvious. You’ll likely find yourself saying, “Just lie down, already!” more than a few times before this gets resolved. As with all parenting, patience is essential. Keep in mind that your baby may not know how to go from a standing position to a sitting one on their own yet, and they may not realize that sleep comes a whole lot easier when you lie down. Remind yourself of this when they wake you up for the fifth or sixth time in three hours because they’ve woken up and gotten back on their feet again, fussing because they can’t get back to sleep. The quickest way through the first part of the equation is to develop that standing-to-sitting skill, so during the day, practice going from standing to sitting whenever you can. When a baby pulls herself up to a standing position, try putting their favourite toy or stuffie on the ground nearby. Gently encourage them to go from a standing position back down to ground level to get their reward. Once they’ve mastered that skill, however, that second hurdle may still be an issue. They may not realize that sleep is much easier to achieve when lying down. It seems like it should be instinctive, but many things seem that way when you’ve been doing them all your life. When you’ve only been around for nine or ten months, it might not seem so intuitive, so again, patience, mama! We don’t want to create a situation where baby starts relying on you to do the work for her, so avoid repeatedly laying her down when she stands up in the crib. Do it a few times at first to show her what’s expected, but switch to a more suggestive approach that doesn’t involve contact once that’s established. Pat the mattress and use a key phrase, like, “Lay your head down” or “Come lie down, baby,” before too long, they should start to connect the dots and realize that lying down is the best way to get to sleep. Remember, even though it might appear that your little one is fighting sleep sometimes, that’s rarely the case. They want to sleep, but they lack the skills necessary to get there on their own, so help them figure it out without doing the work for them. They’ll take care of the rest as soon as they develop a little confidence and ability. And one last little tip before I leave you! Hats off to all of the single parents out there and the fantastic work they do, but if you’re raising baby with a partner, talk this out with them and come up with a plan that both of you can agree on and follow through with. One parent responding with one set of expectations while another responding totally differently will confuse the baby even further in a situation where they’ve already got a lot to figure out. You will need to respond in the same way for your expectations to be clear, and you’ll see results much quicker if you’re working from the same playbook. As always, be calm, be patient, and be consistent. The hard work now will pay off a thousand times when your little one sleeps soundly through the night and happily goes down for naps during the day. AuthorErin Neri - Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Owner of To The Moon and Back Sleep Consulting since 2016. I don’t know if I’m biased, but seeing a sleeping baby is the most peaceful, comforting image I can imagine. The sheer peacefulness, the softness of those fluffy pyjamas, the way they hold their arms by their sides, the nearly inaudible sound of their breath, the perfect stillness of it all, looks like the very definition of “rest.” Or at least that’s what it looks like in the pictures. But suppose your little one has started rolling over and learned how to navigate their crib a little. In that case, you may have noticed that they tend to get themselves into some laughably uncomfortable-looking positions. Seriously, babies can get themselves into sleeping positions that would make a contortionist gasp in horror, and they don’t just do it to shock and amaze an audience. They literally sleep like that! Even though it can occasionally be good for a laugh, it can also be pretty concerning from a safety standpoint. Suppose it’s the middle of the night. You’re checking the baby monitor to see that your little one has somehow managed to fall asleep while propped up on their toes and forehead for the third time in under an hour. In that case, it can be really frustrating as well. Now, one of the cornerstones for getting little ones to sleep through the night involves teaching them independent sleep skills. One of the most common questions I get asked is, “What am I supposed to do when my baby looks uncomfortable?” Parents don’t want to wake their baby up by moving them back to the middle of the crib and repositioning them. So they look like they’re more comfortable, but they also don’t want to leave them bunched up in the corner of the crib, looking like they’ve tied themselves in a knot. As with all things parenting-related, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no, but I’m happy to tell you that it’s as close as you’re likely to find in the parenting world. To quote an old saying, “Sometimes you’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do,” and when it comes to safety, everything else has to be shuffled down in the list of priorities. So if, for example, your baby has learned how to roll from back to front but hasn’t yet mastered the whole front-to-back thing, then I’m sorry to say you’re going to have to keep an eye on the baby monitor, go in every time they flip themselves over, and flip them over onto their back. Every. Single. Time. At least until they’ve figured out how to flip over independently. Will that delay their ability to develop independent sleep skills? Will they wake up cranky and fussy before going back to sleep? Well, yes, probably, but if a baby is face down on the mattress and can’t flip themselves over, you’ve got to intervene, no matter the fallout. The good news is that this is usually a short-term issue. Babies learn how to roll from front to back pretty quickly after learning the back-to-front maneuver, so you don’t need to worry about months of late-night adjustments. Spend some time during the day practicing the rollover, and you should see them get the hang of it within a week or two. Now, suppose baby’s gotten themselves into a position where they have a limb sticking out of the crib that could get stuck or twisted when they try to move. In that case, you’ll just have to bite the bullet and get them squared away. Do it quickly and quietly, and try to engage with them as little as possible. Note that most cribs nowadays don’t have much potential for this kind of occurrence. They’ve moved the slats closer to each other so that little limbs can’t get through the gaps, but if something like this does happen, fix it quickly and leave the room. Now, let’s say your baby has learned to flip from front to back, doesn’t have a limb at risk of injury, but has pushed themselves up against the side of their crib and looks really uncomfortable. Should you still get in there and move them back to the middle? In this case, probably not. Babies find comfort in pretty awkward-looking positions. As long as their airway isn’t obstructed (i.e., head tilted forward, nose and mouth in contact with the mattress), it’s probably best to just let them sleep. I know it can be a little concerning to see them with their knees practically tucked under their chin, but if they’re uncomfortable, they’ll most likely wake up and rearrange themselves. There’s not usually a need for a parent to reposition them. Remember, safety first, always! But talk to your pediatrician about safe sleep positions and make informed decisions about when you should and shouldn’t move them around in their crib. More often than not, if they’re sleeping peacefully, they’re doing just fine, no matter how goofy they might look. One final note: Avoid letting babies of any age sleep in a “positioner” or “nest.” Many of them can force the baby’s head to tilt forward, and others have soft, plushy sides, both of which can obstruct breathing. The FDA has issued a warning against all manner of these products. Despite their claims, they increase, not reduce, the likelihood of SIDS. AuthorErin Neri - Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Owner of To The Moon and Back Sleep Consulting since 2016. Daylight savings starts each spring season and this year is shows up on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
When it's time to “spring forward” the clocks it can be a dreaded time for parents of young children because with this, comes an adjustment that does not happen immediately. This is because children tend to be more structured in their bedtime and wake up around the same time each morning and that is why people usually can see a greater effect on children when the time changes. However, there are some things you can do to help make the transition to the new time go a little smoother. My recommendation is to leave your clock alone Saturday night. Wake up Sunday morning, have breakfast, then go around your house and change your clocks. Psychologically, it will feel much better for everyone if you wait until Sunday morning to change the time. My best advice for children to help them with the change is to split the difference with the old time and the new time. How does that work? “What are you looking forward to?” This is usually one of the first questions I ask parents when I partner with them. It helps them visualize what life will be like in just a couple of weeks when their baby sleeps soundly through the night and takes long, rejuvenating naps. For most parents, the answer is right there in the question. They just want their baby to get the sleep they need to be happy and healthy, and obviously, they want the same for themselves. But once they’ve moved past the first few blissful mornings when they wake up and realize that their baby has slept through the night and is still sleeping, they start to discover that a well-rested baby brings some unexpected benefits. The number one among them is the ability to leave the baby overnight with the grandparents. There’s something absolutely magical about sleepovers. Spending the night somewhere outside of your home has a very intimate quality to it. Whether you’re a young kid spending the night at a friend’s house, the first time you and your partner sleep in the same bed, or the first time you stay in a hotel on your own, sleeping somewhere forges an emotional connection, and for grandparents, having their grandchild sleep in their home is beyond special. It’s a reminder of their days as new parents, a living, breathing testament to the family they’ve built together, and a chance to wrap themselves up in all that family love that’s so saturating when there’s a baby in the house. For mom and dad, this is an opportunity to go out on a well-deserved date night! Most parents I work with haven’t enjoyed that luxury since the day they brought their baby home from the hospital, whether 3 months ago or 3 years ago. Hence, taking advantage of a reliable, enthusiastic (and usually free!) overnight babysitter allows them to reconnect in a way they haven’t enjoyed for far too long. OK, putting the sentiment aside for now, there is some groundwork to be done before you drop your little one off at your parents’ place. You’ve completed stage one, coach your baby, so now it’s time for stage two. Coach your parents. Now, obviously, some grandparents will be completely awesome, wonderful, and fully compliant with whatever you tell them to do vis-a-vis their grandchild. But not all of them. Some grandparents have very, shall we say, entrenched views on parenting. After all, you’re living proof of their expertise and experience. It can be a bit of a balancing act to insist that your parents respect your little one’s schedule and sleeping arrangements while still respecting their role as experienced and incredible caregivers. So today, I’d like to give you a few tips on how to do exactly that so your whole family, including those beloved members outside of your home, can benefit. 1. Respect Your Elders Above all, remember that these are not rookies. They’re seasoned veterans who have been through everything you’re going through now, so even though you may need to establish some ground rules, don’t approach it the same way you would a teenage babysitter. Demonstrating confidence in their abilities will help ensure that whatever rules you do lay down, they’ll be adhered to. 2. Be Authentic I see so many parents trying to play parenthood off as if they’ve got everything under control at all times, even with their own parents. I mean, if anyone knows how tough raising a child is, it’s grandparents, so don’t be shy to let them know how difficult it was to function when your baby was waking up every hour at night and how hard you’ve worked to remedy the situation. Understanding the emotional investment you’ve put into solving your little one’s sleep issues will help them feel a personal commitment to the routine. 3. Explain the Incentives Grandparents crave interaction with their grandkids. I mean, they absolutely crave it. They’re like baby-interaction vampires. Not that anyone can blame them, of course. Smiles and giggles and burps from a baby are wonderful to anyone, but to that baby’s grandparents, they’re positively life-affirming. As such, they tend to want to keep the baby awake longer than recommended. (This is especially true in the case of newborns, who can typically only handle about 45 minutes to 1 hour of awake time before they need to go back down for a nap.
4. Share Your Experience Suppose you’ve already got your baby sleeping well at night and napping well during the day. In that case, you know what a difference it makes to their personality. Personally, I could not believe the improvement in my baby’s mood once we had gotten the whole sleep situation figured out. Parenting was exponentially more enjoyable when my little one was basically always in a good mood. It may sound crazy, but I just liked being around my baby so much more.
5. Equate Sleeping With Feeding If there’s one thing a grandmother won’t abide, it’s a hungry baby. The average grandmother won’t accept a hungry anything, come to think of it. But when it comes to babies, they’ll move heaven and earth to make sure that little ones are adequately fed. Putting sleep on par with feeding priority-wise can help ensure that the same level of dedication gets devoted to getting baby down for naps and into bed on time. So when you’re going over the babysitting guidelines, try to avoid getting into the minutiae and stressing how important those two things are when they’re taking care of their grandchild. One last thing I’d like to mention here because I think it’s super important: there’s a good chance your parents might end up being guilty of a wee bit of sabotage. For example, if a baby wakes up at night and cries, they might respond immediately and feed them back to sleep. Or they might allow your toddler to sleep in their bed with them. They may hold them and rock them to sleep at bedtime. That can cause some severe anxiety for a parent who’s invested a whole lot of time, effort, and emotional capital into breaking those sleep associations. However, I want to reassure you that there’s typically no need to panic and call off any future sleepovers. Babies, even newborns, are surprisingly adept at recognizing different sleeping environments and understanding the rules in them, so just because they get rocked to sleep at grandma’s place doesn’t mean they’ll revert back to that expectation when you get them home. If they’ve developed some strong independent sleep skills, they’ll be back to normal pretty much immediately. So don’t lose your mind if your mom tells you she let baby fall asleep on her chest. A gentle suggestion that she not do it all the time, combined with the concession that you know how hard it is to resist a baby falling asleep on you, should be all that’s needed. AuthorErin Neri - Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Owner of To The Moon and Back Sleep Consulting since 2016. Get expert tips for minimizing jet lag in children during international travel, ensuring your family's trip is enjoyable and restful. Traveling across time zones with your little ones? You might be bracing for the dreaded jet lag that can turn your dream vacation into a sleep-deprived slog. But fear not, dear parents! Minimizing jet lag in children isn't just a fantasy; it's entirely doable with savvy planning and a sprinkle of patience. Understanding Jet Lag in Children First things first: What is jet lag, and why does it turn our adorable angels into cranky gremlins? Jet lag happens when our internal body clock is out of sync with our time zone, making maintaining sleep routines a real challenge. That can be particularly unsettling for kids whose routines are as sacred as a cherished bedtime story. Unlike adults, children have different sleep needs and may struggle to express discomfort or tiredness, making jet lag a bit trickier to manage. When their internal clocks get muddled, so does their ability to fall asleep and wake up at the usual times. It's not just about a few groggy mornings or early nights; jet lag can unsettle their sleep habits for days, sometimes longer. That’s why understanding how it affects kids is crucial. It’s about more than just being sleepy at the wrong hours; it’s about keeping their sleep rhythms in tune. Let's explore how you can effectively do just that! Preparing Before the Flight Our journey to minimizing jet lag in children begins before we set foot on the plane. So, as you pack up for an international adventure or prepare for an international move, remember that getting ready for jet lag is an essential part of your travel itinerary. That is particularly important if you’re planning a permanent stay. While you can hire professionals to help you relocate abroad with ease, they won’t be able to help with your little ones. So, start by tweaking your child’s bedtime a few days before your flight. If you're moving across time zones permanently, this becomes even more vital. In addition, educate them about jet lag in a fun and engaging way, perhaps turning it into a bedtime story about traveling worldwide. These preparatory steps set the stage for a successful transition to a new home and routine. Minimizing Jet Lag in Children During the Flight Up in the air, it's all about balance. On the one hand, you must keep the kids occupied. On the other hand, you must strategically manage their sleep. If it's nighttime at your destination, encourage them to snooze. Make their travel environment cozy – think soft blankets, comfortable pillows, and perhaps a favorite storybook. Minimizing jet lag means balancing sleep with wakefulness on the plane. Offer quiet activities and avoid too much screen time, as the blue light from devices can mess with their sleep hormones. Every bit of sleep they get on the plane is a step towards a smoother adjustment to the new time zone, making your journey a little more relaxed and enjoyable. Upon Arrival: Embracing the New Time Zone Once you touch down, the real magic begins. Now's the time to embrace your new time zone with open arms. The key to a smooth transition? Dive straight into the local rhythm. If it's day, encourage the kids to bask in the sunlight; it's nature's way of resetting our internal clocks. And when night falls, mimic their usual bedtime routine to signal to their little bodies that it's time to wind down. Also, adjusting sleep schedules upon arrival is essential, and it’s okay if things are a bit topsy-turvy at first. Those first few nights might involve extra cuddles or a story more, but consistency will soon pay off. Try to limit naps to short bursts - think power naps - to avoid a midnight party in pajamas. And when evening comes, dim the lights to encourage their bodies to wind down. Patience, consistency, and a dash of understanding go a long way in helping your family settle into the new time zone. Maintaining Healthy Sleep Habits Consistency is your golden ticket. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is vital, even when it feels like your internal clocks are playing pinball. Above all, kids thrive on routine, so even if you're in a different time zone, their bodies will appreciate the familiarity of a set bedtime. Balancing rest with activities is also crucial. Too much downtime can make it harder for them to fall asleep at night. Plan some light, engaging activities that aren't overly stimulating to keep them moving and grooving at the right times. Dealing with Challenges Tackling jet lag's quirks can sometimes feel like solving a puzzle, especially with children. Expect a mix of sleepy mornings and wide-awake nights, but don't let that dampen your spirits. Keep the lines of communication open – chat with your kids about how they're feeling and reassure them that it's perfectly normal to feel a bit topsy-turvy after a trip. If you find jet lag stubbornly overstaying its welcome, causing significant sleep disruptions, it might be time to consult an experienced pediatric sleep consultant. They can offer tailored strategies that are just right for your child's unique needs. And remember, every child is different; what works for one may not for another. So, stay adaptable, experiment with different techniques, and soon, you'll find the perfect recipe for easing your family back into a peaceful night's sleep. Conquering jet lag is about teamwork, patience, and some sleep-science magic. Returning Home: Reclaiming Your Routine Once your globe-trotting adventure wraps up, it's time to nudge your family's sleep schedule back to the familiar territory of your home time zone. Begin by gently adjusting bedtimes and wake-up times closer to your usual routine. That might mean a bit of bedtime negotiation and some early birds waking up before the sun, but consistency here is key. Keep in mind that your little ones' internal clocks might be a tad sluggish in readjusting, so patience and a steady routine are crucial. Create a calming bedtime environment to encourage quicker readjustment – think soft lights, soothing music, and perhaps a favorite bedtime story. Don’t forget to keep daytime naps in check; too much daytime snoozing can make nighttime sleep elusive. Above all, keep in mind that it's a gradual process. It might take several days, but with persistence and understanding, your children will eventually resettle into their normal sleep patterns. So, keep the faith; soon enough, your household's rhythms will be humming along just like before your journey.
Sweet Dreams in Any Time Zone And there you have it, dear parents! Jet lag doesn't have to be the monster under the bed. With some preparation, in-flight savvy, and a hearty dose of patience, minimizing jet lag in children is achievable. Every family's journey is unique, so find what works best for you and your little travelers. Here's to sweet dreams, no matter the time zone! Photos via: Pexels Unsplash Pexels Pexels Understanding Co-regulation Co-regulation refers to the process where an adult helps a child manage and understand their emotions and behaviours. This is especially crucial in young children who are still developing self-regulation skills. By providing a calming presence and demonstrating healthy emotional responses, adults can guide children in managing their own emotions. Importance in Managing Bedtime Anxiety Bedtime can be a source of heightened anxiety for many young children. Fears of the dark, separation from parents, or simply the transition from day to night can be overwhelming. Co-regulation provides a structured and comforting presence that can alleviate these anxieties. How to Implement Co-regulation
Conclusion Co-regulation is not only about managing a child’s immediate anxiety; it's also about teaching them lifelong skills in emotional regulation. By practicing these techniques, parents and caregivers can provide a supportive environment that helps young children navigate their anxieties, especially at bedtime, leading to more peaceful nights and a stronger emotional foundation. AuthorErin Neri - Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Owner of To The Moon and Back Sleep Consulting since 2016. Debunking Myths: The Truth About Cereal in a Baby's Bedtime Bottle
As an infant sleep expert, I want to clarify a common belief among parents: adding cereal to a baby's bedtime bottle to help them sleep longer. This practice is not only ineffective but can also be harmful to your baby's health and sleep patterns. Understanding Sleep and Nutrition The idea that cereal in a bottle will make a child feel fuller and sleep longer at night is a misunderstanding. A baby's ability to sleep through the night is more about their developmental stage and their ability to self-soothe, rather than the amount of food consumed before bedtime. The Risks of Early Introduction of Solids Introducing solids, including cereal, too early can be risky for your baby:
The Role of Sleep Props Often, the issue with a baby's sleep is their reliance on sleep props, such as feeding or rocking, to fall asleep. Teaching babies to fall asleep independently is key to helping them sleep through the night. Caloric Considerations Adding a tablespoon of baby cereal to a bottle adds about 57.2 calories. This slight increase in calories is unlikely to significantly affect a baby's sleep duration. Sleep quality and duration are influenced more by sleep habits and developmental stages than by a small increase in caloric intake. In Conclusion In essence, adding cereal to a baby's bedtime bottle is not advisable. It doesn't contribute to longer sleep and can pose health risks. Fostering good sleep habits and allowing your baby to self-soothe are far more effective for healthy sleep patterns. Always consult with a pediatrician before changing your baby's diet or sleep routine. Remember, each baby is unique and may have different needs. For many new parents, the quest for the perfect night's sleep for their little ones is a top priority. Enter pink noise – a sound that's rapidly becoming a favourite in the baby sleep toolkit. But what is pink noise, and how can it help in a baby's room?
**What is Pink Noise?** Unlike its popular cousin, white noise, which sounds like static or a TV tuned to an unused channel, pink noise is deeper and more balanced. Imagine the rustling of leaves, consistent rainfall, or a steady heartbeat – that’s pink noise. It's often described as more natural-sounding and less harsh than white noise. **The Science Behind Pink Noise** Research suggests several potential benefits of pink noise:
**Safety of Using Pink Noise for Babies** From the available research, pink noise appears safe for babies. However, a few precautions should be observed:
**Top-Rated Pink Noise Machines**
For parents looking to create a serene sleep environment for their baby, pink noise can be an effective tool. It masks jarring sounds, maintains a consistent ambiance, and may even enhance deep sleep stages. Please reach out as I am happy to discuss any concerns or questions about your baby's sleep patterns. |
To The Moon and Back Sleep ConsultingProviding families the tools & support they need to get their little ones sleeping through the night and napping like champs! Everyone has more fun when they are well rested! Visit Wollino - Discount Code: TOTHEMOONANDBACK10
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